Good Agricultural

Buenas
Practices prctica
for more
agrcolas
Resilient para un
Agriculture
Guidelines for Producers
agricultura ms resilient and Governments
Lineamientos para orientar la tar
de productores y gobiern

Alejandra
Alejandra Daz, Luciano
Daz, Luciano Gebler,
Gebler, Lucia Lucia
Maia, Maia,
Lourdes Medina,
Lourdes Medina, Sacha
Sacha TrellesTrelles
 Buenas prcticas
Good Agricultural
agrcolas para una
Practices
agricultura for more
ms resiliente
Resilient Agriculture
Lineamientos para orientar la tarea
de productores
Guidelines y gobiernos
for Producers
and Governments

Alejandra Daz, Luciano Gebler, Lucia Maia,

Lourdes Medina, Sacha Trelles
Alejandra Daz, Luciano Gebler, Lucia Maia,
Lourdes Medina, Sacha Trelles
 Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), 2017

Good Agricultural Practices for more Resilient Agriculture: Guidelines for Producers and Gov-
ernments by IICA is published under license Creative Commons

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(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/igo/)

Based on a work at www.iica.int.

IICA encourages the fair use of this document. Proper citation is requested.

This publication is also available in electronic (PDF) format from the Institutes Web site: http://
www.iica.int

Editorial coordination: Alejandra Daz

Translator: Ingrid McLaren

Layout: Carlos Umaa Carvajal

Cover design: Carlos Umaa Carvajal

Printed: IICA Print Shop

Good Agricultural Practices for more Resilient Agriculture: Guidelines

for Producers and Governments / Inter-American Institute for
Cooperation on Agriculture, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa
Agropecuria San Jose, C.R. : IICA, 2017.
72 p.; 15,24 cm X 22,86 cm.

ISBN: 978-92-9248-699-0

1. Agricultural practices 2. Innovation adoption 3. Climate

change 4. Environment 5. Pest control 6. Disease control 7. Water
conservation 8. Soil conservation 9. Risk management I. IICA II.
EMBRAPA III. Title

AGRIS DEWEY
E10 630.252 53

San Jose, Costa Rica

2017
Content

FOREWORD 5

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 7

1. INTRODUCTION 9

2. OBJECTIVE 13

3. SCOPE 13

4. DEFINITIONS 15

5. GENERAL FRAMEWORK 19
5.1 Agriculture and the Environment 20
5.2 Good Agricultural Practices in Latin America 21
5.3 Toward a comprehensive approach to good agricultural practices 24
5.4 Responsibilities in the implementation of good agricultural practices 26

6. ELEMENTS FOR THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF

GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES 27
6.1 Indicators for the comprehensive management of good agricultural practices 29
6.2 Evaluation and monitoring of the application of good agricultural practices 57
6.3 Guidelines for completing the verification list 58
6.4 Importance of evaluation and monitoring of government indicators 63
6.5 Recommendations for the implementation of good agricultural practices 64

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY 67

PHOTOGRAPHS 69
FOREWORD
Good agricultural practices (GAPs) are an indispensable tool for risk
management due to the close relationship between agriculture
and climate, as well as the climate variability currently being expe-
rienced. The implementation of these tools, however, involves fos-
tering innovation, increasing knowledge and giving stakeholders,
small producers in particular, a holistic view, so that they may im-
prove their production systems, increase their resilience, and ensure
their sustainability.

GAPs contribute to improving health, ensuring safety, protecting the

environment and mitigating the effects of climate change. But little
progress can be made if there is no awareness of this on the part of
governments, farmers and consumers. Farmers need to know how to
implement these practices; and Governments, for their part, require
guidelines for designing effective programs and monitoring their
implementation.

The indicators provided by this guide cover different dimensions of

agriculture, that is, a comprehensive approach to the issue is taken
and the role of different certification programs is recognized. These
indicators serve, in turn, as a planning and management tool for
both the producer and government entities, and ultimately for in-
creasing the resilience of the biome and the population.

The guide includes recommendations from various GAP programs

launched in the Americas, as well as reflections from experts who
generously contributed their knowledge to regional and national
events organized with the support of IICA. Everyone has stressed
the importance of all stakeholders working together under a single
vision and agreed that this guide should complement national GAP
programs and national plans that seek to adapt to and mitigate cli-
mate change.

The objectives of the guide are, firstly, to provide a set of indicators

that contribute to the knowledge of the problem and to the design
of GAP strategies and policies, and secondly, to lay the methodolog-
ical bases that will enable the continuation of efforts to develop and
update these indicators.

5
This publication is aligned with the mandates and guidelines of the
regions ministers of agriculture, who agree on the need to promote
an agricultural sector with production systems that are more envi-
ronmentally friendly, that will meet the demand for food and forage
required by the increasing world population, and where risks are ad-
dressed in a comprehensive way.

We are deeply grateful to the Brazilian Agricultural Research Com-

pany (EMBRAPA) for its technical support and participation in this
publication; and also to its authors, whose training and experience
has allowed us to create an innovative tool to support the design,
evaluation and implementation of Programs and national GAP plans,
as well as the formulation of public policies in this area.

Katia Marzall Robert Ahern

Leader, Flagship Project on Leader, Agricultural Health and

Resilience and Comprehensive Food Safety Program, IICA
Management of Environmental
Risks in Agriculture

6
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We wish to thank the GAP program leaders of the different coun-
tries who participated in the events organized by IICA. We also wish
to thank the producers and processors from Brazil and Costa Rica
who were interviewed during the validation process of the guide,
and the experts, for all their contributions.

7
1. INTRODUCTION
Agriculture worldwide, and specifically in the Americas, faces the
challenge of maintaining and improving productivity growth rates,
which also differ significantly among countries and types of agri-
culture (IICA 2016). Undoubtedly, innovation and the development
of technical capacities - in individuals, in organizations and in soci-
ety generally - are an indispensable component for increasing pro-
ductivity and being able to fully confront that challenge through
collaborative practices, sustainable solutions and comprehensive
proposals for adaptation to climate change.

Although there is a growing awareness of the need to generate

models that increase agricultural production, while improving
agricultural health and food safety and reducing environmental
damage, most models continue to adopt a sectoral approach. As
a result, they suffer from a lack of articulation between the organi-
zations that promote them, when the complementarity of efforts is
the one that leads to better results.

The implementation of good agricultural practices (GAP) is one of

those innovations that requires a comprehensive approach and
widespread application in order to contribute effectively to the de-
velopment of sustainable agriculture.

Currently, at the official level, the promotion of GAP is mainly in

the hands of the ministries of agriculture and agencies, according
to their scope of action - food safety, phytosanitary protection,
pesticide residue control or agricultural extension, among others
- which in a way contributes to climate change adaptation and mit-
igation. But in ministries and other public institutions there are also
climate change units that promote environmentally friendly prac-
tices, generally without regard to their relationship with agricul-
tural health and food safety, for example. This lack of articulation
between areas can bring with it duplications or contradictions that
are of no benefit to agriculture.

Regarding private standards, GAPs generally have a broader focus

and include, in addition to food safety principles, environmental
protection, health, safety and well-being of agricultural workers,
as well as animal welfare (Daz 2009). Their application, however, is
observed mainly in the export sector.

10
Climate change affects the ecological relationships of the natural
environment and agroecosystem. Identifying and quantifying their
effects is complex, as they occur as a result of changes or pressures
in the ecological interrelations of the production process.

As part of these systems, producers are also agents that influence

agriculture, but given the effects of climate change, they appear to
have few options for responding.

When the environmental perspective is included in GAPs, the de-

gree of complexity of the analysis increases because technicians
are often not prepared to understand the kind of interrelationships
that result from such an approach. This perspective discards simple
and linear responses, and realizes that problems impact several di-
mensions at once. Thus, a safety problem will definitely be associ-
ated with environmental or social indicators

In general terms, a GAP program comprises two sets of factors: bi-

otics, which are manifested in cycles of pests and diseases (human,
animal or vegetable) and abiotics, which refer to the effects of an
action or event on water or soil.

The following is an example of the complexity of the analysis:

a) Socio economic issues overlap with biotic factors, such as pest

and disease bio-ecology and the ecological cycles associated
with them, the effects of which are difficult to measure. These
are more understandable to farmers as these factors material-
ize in damage to the environment, and production and product
quality (direct economic impact), and expenditure to prevent
and combat pests and diseases (including the use of pesticides).
They also manifest in the possible struggle against animal dis-
eases with the consequent purchase of veterinary drugs, and
possibly treatment of diseases in humans, with the consequent
purchase of medication, visits to hospitals, and sick leave. All
this economic impact can in turn lead to a deterioration in social
relations, since the producer may be forced to put aside a tradi-
tional practice and adopt a new practice that demands knowl-
edge and workers to which he is unaccustomed.

11
b) With respect to abiotic factors, extremes are detrimental: an in-
crease in the amount and intensity of rainfall accelerates soil loss;
a decrease in rainfall causes unexpected droughts. In both cases,
the support capacity of the biome is affected, although over time
it can be adapted. In any case, the socio-economic consequences
will not be anticipated: to replace soil loss and lack of water, a
financial investment will have to be made, and a change in the
type of vegetation involves introducing new crops or in any case,
learning to cope with new environmental conditions.

Thus, when a productive process is analyzed in a comprehensive

way, it is difficult to obtain single and direct answers to a prob-
lem: the number of interactions that emerge are usually many
and varied.

This document has been structured in such a way that the first part
brings together a set of indicators related to GAP that should be
satisfied by both producers and government entities (public pol-
icies, service provision). Then, using these indicators, an analysis
of the current situation and a risk assessment are presented high-
lighting the strengths and weaknesses of the organization under
study (government or farm). The information obtained in the di-
agnostic phase allows the producer to plan his work according to
an established schedule, in order to reduce or eliminate the risks
that his property runs. In this way, the producer constructs his own
road map, clearly establishes his priorities, the dimension affected,
and the manner and moment in which he will solve the identified
deficiency.

Governments, in turn, get a picture of the points to watch out for and,
by verifying the good progress of GAPs, are able to act more effective-
ly to reduce the impact of climate change.

12
2. OBJECTIVE
To support the design and implementation of integrated GAP pro-
grams or plans that contribute to countries improvement in health,
environmental, economic and social aspects, while promoting climate
change mitigation and adaptation.

3. SCOPE
This guide is intended for public institutions, such as agricultural
health and food safety services, as well as other organizations that,
in promoting GAPs, promote environmental protection and atten-
tion to climate change in agriculture.

Farmers are also directed to implement GAP, regardless of the size

of the business, the food they produce, and the target market.

The comprehensive vision of the guide seeks to make the different

public entities carry out their work according to their competences,
while remembering that complementarity is indispensable to en-
sure the achievement of a more sustainable agriculture.

Finally, the guide enables the carrying out of diagnostics; obser-

vation of changes in the behavior of agents; monitoring of the
perception of the relationship between food safety, agricultur-
al health, well-being and environmental protection; proposal of
management models based on soundly proven techno-economic
criteria; setting of priorities and defining the execution of activi-
ties. Also, and as part of a process of continuous improvement, the
guide allows for evaluation of results and making appropriate ad-
justments, whether in the official programs or in the plans of the
producer.

13
4. DEFINITIONS
Adaptation: Process of adjustment to the real or projected climate
and its effects. In human systems, adaptation seeks to moderate or
avoid damage or take advantage of beneficial opportunities. In some
natural systems, human intervention can facilitate adjustment to the
projected climate and its effects (IPCC 2014).

Biodiversity: Variability among living organisms from terrestrial,

marine and other ecosystems. Biodiversity includes the variability of
genes, species and ecosystems (IPCC 2014).

Climate Change: Variation of identifiable climate status (eg,

through statistical tests) in changes in mean value or in vari-
ability of its properties, which persists for long periods of time,
usually decades or longer. Climate change may be due to nat-
ural internal processes or external forces such as modulations
of solar cycles, volcanic eruptions or persistent anthropogen-
ic changes in the composition of the atmosphere or land use.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC), in its Article 1, defines climate change as a change in
climate attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that
alters the composition of the global atmosphere and adds to
the natural variability of the climate observed over comparable
periods of time . The UNFCCC differentiates between climate
change attributable to human activities that alter atmospher-
ic composition and climate variability attributable to natural
causes (IPCC 2014).

Ecosystem: Functional unit consisting of living organisms, their

non-living environment and the interactions between them. The com-
ponents included in a particular ecosystem and their spatial bound-
aries depend on the purpose for which the ecosystem is defined: in
some cases, they are relatively accurate, while in others they are dif-
fuse. Ecosystem boundaries may vary over time. Ecosystems are orga-
nized within other ecosystems, and the scale at which they manifest
can range from very small, to the entire biosphere. In the current era,
most ecosystems either contain human beings as fundamental organ-
isms, or are influenced by the effects of human activities on their envi-
ronment (IPCC 2014).

Biotic and abiotic factors: Terms used in the field of ecology, biology,
agronomy and other sciences, with a focus on the environment. Biotic
factors refer to everything that is alive in a particular place, whether

16
humans, animals, plants or microorganisms (including the living part
of soil and water). Abiotic factors refer to all non-living components of
a particular location, such as rocks, weather (rain, wind, sunlight, etc.),
soil (the physical part of clay, silt and sand), and water (not counting
microorganisms). In nature, in a holistic analysis, it is very difficult to
completely separate the biotic factors from the abiotic ones. However,
in an impact assessment process and environmental evaluation, they
should be kept separate to the maximum extent in order for the task
to be fully executed.

Comprehensive risk management: Seeks to minimize the im-

pact of different types of risks (eg production, financial, institu-
tional and market) on agriculture and which affect the quantity
and quality of the product, causing postharvest losses and ex-
acerbating the variability of prices. Strategies include risk as-
sessment and prioritization, as well as prevention, mitigation,
adaptation, transfer and improved response capacity. In a rural
setting, comprehensive risk management means that not only
the economic activity itself, but also the whole establishment
and often the elements outside its borders (its position in a giv-
en catchment area, exposure to the sun and wind, work done
by neighbors, etc.) which often escape the direct control of the
owner of the property.

Maximum Residue Limit (MRL): The maximum residue concentra-

tion of a pesticide (expressed in mg / kg), the use of which is rec-
ommended by the Codex Alimentarius Commission to be legally
permitted on the surface of or within food products for human con-
sumption and feed. MRLs are based on GAP data and are intended
to ensure that food derived from commodities that conform to the
respective MRLs are toxicologically acceptable (Codex Alimentarius
Commission 2016).

Mitigation (climate change): Human intervention aimed at reduc-

ing sources or enhancing greenhouse gas sinks (IPCC 2014).

Pesticide: Any substance intended to prevent, destroy, attract, re-

pel or combat any pest, including undesirable species of plants or
animals, during the production, storage, transportation, distribu-
tion and processing of food, agricultural products or feed, or which
may be administered to animals to combat ectoparasites. The term
includes substances intended for use as plant growth regulators,

17
defoliants, desiccants, agents for reducing fruit density or inhib-
itors of germination, and substances applied to crops before or
after harvest to protect the product against deterioration during
storage and transportation. The term normally excludes fertilizers,
plant and animal nutrients, food additives and veterinary drugs
(Codex Alimentarius Commission 2016).

Resilience: The ability of social, economic and environmental systems

to cope with a dangerous phenomenon, tendency or disturbance by
responding or reorganizing in order to maintain their essential func-
tion, identity and structure while retaining adaptive capacity, learning
and transformation (IPCC 2014).

Climate variability: This denotes the variations of the average state

and other statistical characteristics (typical deviation, extreme phe-
nomena, etc.) of the climate in all the spatial and temporal scales
wider than those of the meteorological phenomena. Variability may
be due to natural internal processes of the climate system (internal
variability) or variations in external natural or anthropogenic forces
(external variability) (IPCC 2014).

18
5. GENERAL FRAMEWORK
 5.1 Agriculture and the Environment

Agriculture plays a fundamental role in providing food to the

world. It is undoubtedly the way of life for thousands of families,
but it also leaves its mark on the environment: it contributes to soil
erosion and depletion of groundwater. Additionally, the use of ag-
rochemicals is not a minor issue as this activity places pressure on
biodiversity, which, in turn, creates socio-economic and environ-
mental pressures leading to the impoverishment of the rural envi-
ronment and the displacement of the population from the coun-
tryside to the city.

However, in addition to providing humanity with food, and along with

that, health, agriculture also impacts the environment positively. If
practiced responsibly:

a) It supports better management of water resources in the country-

side and in the city;
b) It contributes to improving air quality;
c) It captures carbon from the air and stores it in the soil as organic
matter, which contributes to reducing the impact of global emis-
sions;
d) A plant-covered soil is kept cooler, thanks to the reflectance and
evapo-transpiration of the plants.

However, it is impossible to separate agriculture from the environment,

since natural resources are the basis of food production. Therefore, we
as producers, technicians, governments and society in general, must
act responsibly and apply techniques that allow us to cultivate with-
out damaging nature. Hence the importance of adopting good agri-
cultural practices (GAPs).

Agricultural and Environmental

Programs must be treated as
inseperable

20
 5.2 Good Agricultural Practices in Latin America

The concept of GAP managed by official agricultural health and

food safety services refers mainly to the set of principles, standards
and technical recommendations that apply to the various stages
of agricultural production to ensure the production of safe and
healthy food. In other cases, the main objective is phytosanitary
protection or control of pesticide residues in production to pro-
tect the health of consumers and safeguard access to international
markets

According to the Codex Alimentarius, the Code of Hygienic Prac-

tice for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables includes GAP and good hy-
gienic practices in order to control microbial, chemical and physi-
cal hazards that may occur at any stage of the chain from primary
production to final consumption (Codex Alimentarius Commission
2003).

As can be seen, the objectives of these approaches, based on their

areas of action, are basically health -related. Thus, in risk assess-
ment processes, the environment is taken into account in partic-
ular to ensure that the presence of vectors of pathogens that en-
danger the safety of plants is not encouraged. Water is seen as a
possible route of food contamination and must be protected to
ensure its quality, but the emphasis is not usually on its efficient
use in agricultural production. Likewise, wild animals represent
a danger of contamination, hence they must be prevented from
entering the production area. Regrettably, the implementation of
guidelines such as these sometimes goes against the realities of
the field or of regulations on biodiversity or environmental pro-
tection.

On the other hand, institutions linked to the environment tend to

promote agricultural practices that focus on the conservation of
natural resources, regardless of their effect on plant safety. Some-
thing similar happens with entities that promote the approach to
climate change in agricultural production, as they tend to put the
practice of adapting to climate change and mitigating its effects
over other practices.

21
However, addressing sanitary, phytosanitary and environmental
risk management separately is not very effective, since public pol-
icies, as well as technical assistance and training provided by the
various institutions to producers, will, in addition to having a frag-
mented view of agriculture, suffer from a lack of coordination and
miss the opportunity to work in a complementary and integrated
way (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Fragmented Risk Management on Farms.

Water Worker
Hygiene and Soil health
and food safety
Adaptation and
Phytosanitary mitigaction
protection
Management
of waste
and
contaminants

Although GAPs tend to be applied with a much more inclusive vision

in the private sector, this is especially true for the export sectors, which
do so not only to comply with national regulations but also because
it is a condition for accessing markets where buyers are much more
demanding.

The following checkbox presents the main characteristics of GAP pro-

grams being implemented in Latin America.

22
 Checkbox 1. Main Characteristics of Official GAP
programs in Latin America*

Institutional Framework
- Ministries of agriculture or institutions under their authority, head GAP programs, although
there are others promoting these methods.

Regulatory Framework
- GAP regulations are included in other regulations, such as safety or phytosanitary regula-
tions. There are, however, countries like Panama, which have specific GAP laws.
- Official monitoring is limited and focuses mainly on export activities.
- Countries have more general GAP manuals or guides for products that have been chosen
because of the opportunity they present or because they are targeted for export. These ma-
terials are based mainly on private standards and deal only in a limited way with the environ-
ment and climate change.

Scope of GAP
- GAP programs focus mainly on safety issues and are intended to meet the require-
ments of external markets. Few countries have focused on their domestic market.
- Argentina and Brazil have experience in applying GAP in the agricultural sector,
including methods aimed at reducing the impact of climate change

Coordination
- There is little coordination between extension agencies and climate change in the ministries
of agriculture and other public institutions promoting GAP.
- Countries such as Brazil and Argentina have made progress in thematic integration at the
local and regional level.
- There is a greater degree of linkages with institutions that promote exports.

Public-Private Coordination
- There is generally greater public-private coordination in the export sector.

Certification
- Private sector certification predominates, particularly for export.
- Some countries, such as Chile, Brazil and Costa Rica, have made progress in official certifica-
tion initiatives aimed at the domestic market,

Funding
- Programs depend on the technical and financial capacity of plant health or food safety units
- Although resources and external cooperation have been available for the development of
GAP programs, these have been directed primarily at meeting the requirements of external
markets.

* Prepared on the basis of results from regional and national GAP meetings organized by IICA, as well as interviews
with producers and packers from different countries.

23
 5.3 Toward a comprehensive approach to good
agricultural practices

The implementation of an integrated GAP plan makes it possible to

mitigate or even reverse the harmful effects of agriculture on the
environment, since plant health, food safety, worker health and en-
vironmental health are dealt with together.

The producer, for example, would not be managing only the risks
of his property or a specific type of risk (phytosanitary or sanitary,
which are the most common because they guarantee access to mar-
kets), but would also be paying attention to risks that are generated
in the immediate area of his farm and that may affect his quality of
life or the quality of his production. Even if the monitoring and anal-
ysis process is done by segments (GAP checklist), the result will only
be complete if the community manages to reduce socio-economic
and environmental impacts to levels deemed safe.

As shown in Figure 2, this holistic approach to the production

process seeks to raise the awareness of both producers and gov-
ernment, as both play a key role in food security in their coun-
tries and both must assume major responsibility for the envi-
ronment.

Figure 2. Holistic Vision of GAP.

Environment
Adaptation Public health

Food Sanidad vegetal

Mitigation Safety

Integrated Pesticide
Worker pest residues Production
Food health management
security

24
Therefore, GAP systems, despite being primarily directed at the produc-
tion of food for commercial purposes, interact with broader issues, such
as public health and environmental protection.

Public health is protected to the extent that productive systems provide

safe food, consider workers health and meet recommended technical
parameters regarding hygiene practices, use and application of in-
puts, and management of critical points and hazards in the productive
process, etc.).

In the environmental sphere, GAP systems address issues related to

food security, since the holistic compression of the production process
makes it a sustainable production process.

In addition, this type of management contributes to the adaptation of

agriculture to climate change and to the mitigation of its effects and,
therefore, environmental sustainability.

Finally, there is the role of certification and quality seals, which are
public statements about the companys achievement generally
in relation to the safety of a specific product, an issue that is also
part of the objectives of a GAP program. However, with some com-
munication and marketing effort, standards such as safe for the
environment or this product contributes to reducing the impact of
climate change, could also be added, thereby recognizing the pro-
ducers effort (Executing Agency) and that of the government (Sys-
tem Organizer), which would open up new profit opportunities for
the private sector.

In short, achieving widespread adoption of this approach requires

the active participation of both public entities and producers: the
first, to dictate policies and make available public goods and ser-
vices that favor GAP; the second, to implement good production
practices.

The concept of good agricultural practice set out in

this guide constitutes the application of the knowledge
available for the effective management of sanitary,
phytosanitary and environmental risks in
agricultural production, in order to make it
more resilient and sustainable.

25
 5.4 Responsibilities in the implementation
of good agricultural practices

In the GAP implementation process, the producer, as executor of the

practices, plays a leading role, while the government bodies are mainly
responsible for establishing the regulatory framework and assuming
the tasks of monitoring and verification of compliance, and, depend-
ing on their capabilities, providing technical assistance and training.

At this point it must be recognized that much progress has been

made in establishing criteria and indicators of producer compliance
with GAP, both from the public and private standpoint. In other words,
checklists have been designed to evaluate the production sector.
However, little work has been undertaken on indicators that guide,
at the government level, the effective design of national or local GAP
programs.

In any case, GAP implementation, as with any innovation, occurs in a

specific socio-economic context and depends on certain conditions
to be able to thrive. It depends, for example, on the level of internal
development of the country, institutional and regulatory frameworks,
access to basic services and infrastructural support, the importance
attached to research and technology transfer, human resources (pro-
vision of knowledge and skills) and access to credit.

Governments are thus faced with the challenge of being able to trig-
ger intensive and permanent processes of GAP implementation, with
a holistic approach, in which all actors participate together through a
shared vision (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Shared Public-Private Responsibility.

More resilient agriculture

GAP with an integrative approach

Government:
Provides institutional and
regulatory frameworks,
access to basic services,
infrastructure, technology
research and transfer, etc.
Producer:
Applies the GAP with an
integrative approach:
agricultural health and
safety, workers' health,
environment, adaptation,
mitigation.

26
 6. ELEMENTS FOR THE DESIGN
AND IMPLEMENTATION OF GOOD
AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
Because of the shared responsibility of different actors in the imple-
mentation of good agricultural practices (GAP), their progress will
undoubtedly depend on the efforts of both the government and the
producer sector.

This guide provides a set of indicators that comprise the dimensions

of safety, plant health, worker safety and the environment, all key el-
ements for the comprehensive implementation of GAP (Figure 4). The
fact that many of the indicators form part of more than one dimension
makes it even more necessary to adopt a comprehensive approach to
measuring progress in the establishment of good practices.

These indicators should be viewed with some degree of flexibility, since

they may vary in number depending on the monitoring capacity, the
possibility of obtaining information for their analysis, and other details
such as the nature of the crop, the type of producer, etc.

Figura 4. Key features of GAP

Propagating
material and Management
History seeds of soil and
and management other
of the farm
substrates

Training Fertilization

GAP with
comprehensive
Waste Water
management
approach management

Crop
Transport protection

Hygiene Presence of
and health animals on
the farm

28
 6.1 Indicators for the comprehensive management of
good agricultural practices

A series of indicators have been identified so that government bod-

ies may have an instrument that allows them to measure the status of
GAPs. These indicators have been grouped into two levels depending
on the source of the information: those in level 1 obtain information di-
rectly from government agencies; those in level 2 obtain information by
verifying compliance with GAPs on the part of the producer, after these
have been applied to specific populations, eg. in a national census, to
a group of producers participating in a project, to a group of producers
linked to a given crop (Table 1).

Table 1. GAP Indicators for Government Analysis.

GAP Indicators analyzed by

government bodies
Level 1: Indicators obtained Level 2: Indicators obtained
with information coming di- via verification of GAP com-
rectly from public agencies. pliance by the producer.

Both Level 1 and Level 2 indicators, which are illustrated in Table 2,

consider the large dimensions of GAP: safety, plant health, worker
safety and environmental protection (Table 2).

Level 2 indicators are assessed using a checklist that applies to pro-

ducers (see Table 3).

One of the advantages of this method is that in cases where a produc-

er is implementing a GAP system, whether commercial or official, pre-
viously obtained answers may be used during the evaluation, which
eliminates the cost of having to prepare a new questionnaire, and re-
peating visits and interviews. The metadata of the certification bodys
questionnaires is simply analyzed.

The questionnaire may be applied directly to the producer or techni-

cian through a visit by trained personnel if the country does not have
GAP certification systems or interview-based programs.

29
 GAP INDICATORS WITH A
COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
 Table 2. GAP Indicators with a Comprehensive Approach.

KEY FEATURES OF GAPs LEVEL 1: GOVERNMENT LEVEL 2: PRODUCER

1. History and Management of the Farm

1.1 History and management of the farm

Planning works only if the boundaries of Does the country What is the percent-
the farm are delineated (on land owned or have a public age of farmers who
rented). policy and a legal map their farms?
framework for the
Borders allow the demarcation of an action mandatory mapping
space (the boundary of the property), a of farms?
span of time and a volume of available
resources. And this is key to the ability Is there an official
to implement GAP. The official planner, registration system
for his part, must take into account the for farms?
boundaries of the micro watershed or river
basin. What is the percent-
age of registered
farms?
1.2 Production Site Management
Every site must be suitable for production and Is there a legal What is the percent-
this capability must be supported by a risk assess- framework that age of producers
ment that takes into account biological, physical, defines the use of carrying out risk
and chemical hazards, as well as the impact of land for agricultural assessments ?
agricultural activities on the environment. activities?
What is the percent-
age of producers
implementing an
action plan to man-
age identified risks?

2. Propagation material and seeds

2.1 Health and quality of propagation material and seeds

Pest resistant material from authorized Are there any of- What is the percent-
nurseries or hothouses must be used to ficially monitored age of producers
ensure their health and general condition. nurseries? using approved
In this way, there will be a positive starting propagation material
point, resulting in good quality products. and seeds?
On the other hand, the use of inappropriate
materials may lead to greater use of fertiliz-
ers and pesticides.

32
 KEY FEATURES OF GAPs LEVEL 1: GOVERNMENT LEVEL 2: PRODUCER

3. Management of soil and other substrates

3.1 Soil Map

If soil properties are known, better decisions Are govern- What is the percent-
may be made with respect to its use, and ment-managed age of producers
environmental protection can be better soil maps for the making use of infor-
planned. agricultural sector mation on soil maps?
available?
It is important to determine the suitability of
soils for intensive use and for precision agri-
culture, to identify areas with risk of erosion,
etc.
3.2 Analysis of soil and substrates
Analysis of the soil reveals a series of initial Is there the capacity On what percentage
values that allows for the monitoring of for analysis of soils of farms is the
its quality, by observing, for example, the and substrates in the analysis of soils
evolution of parameters such as organic country? and substrates
matter, availability of phosphorus, nitrates periodically carried
and nitrites, etc. out?
Similarly, the history of soil analysis enables
assessment of the progress of GAP actions
on the farm.
3.3 Erosion control
Erosion is a problem that goes beyond the Are there regulatory On what percentage
loss of fertile soil. It is also responsible for the frameworks? of farms is there
transmission of contaminants to waterways, erosion control?
and may, eventually, cause a disaster (eg. by
shifting huge quantities of earth on moun-
tains).
Erosion must be avoided, not only on farms,
but also on local freeways.

3.4 Ground cover practices

Coverage positively influences soil quality: Are there regulatory On what percentage
it ensures the availability of water, controls frameworks for of farms is ground
erosion, and reduces the presence of pests and ground cover man- cover management
diseases in plants,etc. agement? carried out?
It also increases reflectance during the day,
thus reducing the time of emission of night
heat. Local alteration by heat is therefore
lower.
Ground cover must correspond to the natural
and cultural characteristics of the area

33
 KEY FEATURES OF GAPs LEVEL 1: GOVERNMENT LEVEL 2: PRODUCER

4. Fertilization

4.1 Fertilizer quality

Fertilizers restore the nutrients crops need Are there official What is the per-
that have been extracted by plants or lost programs for moni- centage of farmers
through erosion, washing or retrogradation. toring the quality of participating in gov-
fertilizers? ernment programs
Hence the importance of verifying that these that monitor fertilizer
products, whose main function is to nourish Does the analytical quality?
the plants and improve the characteristics of capacity exist for
the soil, are of good quality. Their agronomic monitoring the qual-
effectiveness and the absence of harmful ity of fertilizers?
effects on human, animal, plant or environ-
mental health (which do not contain heavy Does the country
metals, pathogens, etc.) must be verified. have regulations
that require that fer-
The farmer must be aware that fertilizers tilizers be purchased
may be contaminated with heavy metals in authorized loca-
due to the manufacturing process. It is the tions with current
governments duty to ensure that fertilizers registration?
do not carry that risk and to avoid that type
of contamination.

4.2 Fertilization Program

Fertilization programs should be tailored Are there regulations What is the per-
to the nutrient requirements of the soil, and related to specific centage of produc-
this need is determined by soil analysis and fertilization for each ers who consult a
following the recommendation of a qual- situation or cultiva- competent advisor
ified person (an agronomist or technical tion technique? to design his/her
personnel). fertilization pro-
Does the technical gram?
The application of fertilizers improves the assistance have
use of water by crops: it increases their re- sufficient coverage What is the percent-
sistance to drought, regulates the transpi- to meet the needs of age of producers
ration of plants and allows them to absorb producers? implementing a
less water to form dry matter. fertilization program
based on previous
analysis?

34
 KEY FEATURES OF GAPs LEVEL 1: GOVERNMENT LEVEL 2: PRODUCER
4.3 Storage of Chemical Fertilizers
Fertilizers must be stored in such a way as to Are there regula- What is the per-
avoid risk of contaminating water sources or tions governing centage of farms
harvested products. the storage of with a structure
fertilizers? to store chemical
fertilizers?
Are there storage
and distribution What is the
structures for chem- percentage of
ical fertilizers that producers storing
meet the needs of fertilizers proper-
the region? ly to reduce the
risk of contami-
nation of water
sources?
4.4 Organic Fertilizers and Biofertilizers
(Substrates derived from biogas plants are Are there official What is the percent-
included here.) standards governing age of producers
the use of organic using organic fer-
Before using an organic fertilizer, an environ- fertilizers and biofer- tilizers or bio fertil-
mental and safety risk assessment should tilizers? izers based on a risk
be done. The type of fertilizer, the treatment assessment?
method, the heavy metal content and the Is the use of sewage
time of application, etc. must be evaluated. sludge prohibited?

4.5 Storage of organic fertilizers

This is to prevent the contamination of water Is there a public What is the percent-
sources, the product, harvesting materials and policy to support age of farms with
surfaces with which the product comes into the construction of an organic fertilizer
contact. storage structures storage structure?
for organic fertil-
izers? What is the percent-
age of producers
storing fertilizers in a
way that reduces the
risk of contaminating
wter sources?

35
 KEY FEATURES OF GAPs LEVEL 1: GOVERNMENT LEVEL 2: PRODUCER

5. Water Management

5.1 Determination of water needs and the efficient use of water

Water is essential for agriculture. Are there mecha- What is the percent-
nisms (rain gauges, age of producers
Since climate change influences the distri- evaporimeters, trained to calculate
bution of water in a region (melting, rain, etc.) that provide the water needs of
surface water and groundwater), its control data to determine the crop?
is essential for the planning of agricultural the water needs of
activities in an area. producers? What is the percent-
age of producers
Every planning process begins by specify- Are there govern- using water based
ing available resources, including natural ment programs on the needs of the
resources, and usage needs. Therefore, in designed to train crop?
order to design public policies in this area, producers and
it is necessary to start establishing a data rural extension What is the percent-
network on water availability, on the one workers in the age of producers
hand, and consumption needs, on the other. management of providing the nec-
In this way, producers will know how much water resources in essary maintenance
water they have and will therefore be able to farming regions? for irrigation equip-
plan the type of activities they will carry out ment?
on their property.
What is the percent-
age of producers
keeping records of
water use for irriga-
tion and fertigation?

36
 KEY FEATURES OF GAPs LEVEL 1: GOVERNMENT LEVEL 2: PRODUCER
5.2 Water Quality
Water must be of adequate quality for its Does the country What is the percent-
intended use. have public sanita- age of farms with
tion policies? potable water for
Irrigation water: The risk of water contami- consumption and for
nation depends on the type of irrigation. The Is the availability packaging products?
greatest danger presents itself via sprinkler of drinking water
irrigation because it moistens the edible part guaranteed for all?
of the crop, which can be kept moist for sev-
eral hours. In addition, the physical force of Are water quality What is the percent-
the water droplet impact may contaminate analysis laboratories age of farms with
the protected areas of the leaf / product. Drip available? rural sanitation?
irrigation, which does not wet the plant, is Have quality stan- What is the percent-
the method that represents the lowest risk of dards been estab- age of producers
contamination, although care must be taken lished for irrigation controlling the qual-
that there is no accumulation of water on the water? ity of irrigation water
soil surface or in the furrows, so that water according to estab-
does not come into contact with the edible lished standards?
part of the crop.
Water for fertilizers and for pest control:
Water used for the application of water-solu-
ble fertilizers and for pesticides should be of
the same quality as the water used in irriga-
tion and should not present microbial con-
taminants in quantities that may adversely
affect the safety of the plant products, espe-
cially if applied directly to the edible parts at
the time of harvest. Human pathogens can
survive and multiply in many agrochemicals,
including pesticides.
Water consumed by workers and used to
wash produce and surfaces that come into
contact with harvested products must be
potable.
If the quality of water used for human con-
sumption and for preparation of products for
consumption is guaranteed, health risks to
workers and final consumers are considerably
reduced.
A good water quality policy helps reduce the
costs of public health programs and ensures
greater permanence of workers in the work-
place.

37
 KEY FEATURES OF GAPs LEVEL 1: GOVERNMENT LEVEL 2: PRODUCER
5.3 Water Storage
Water reservoirs appropriate to the conditions Does the country On what percent-
of the place must be installed, and must be have public regula- age of farms do
maintained to take advantage of periods tions governing the water harvesting
of abundance and to have water stored for installation of water activities take
periods of scarcity. reservoirs? place?
Are there programs On what percent-
that encourage age of farms do
the collection and water storage activ-
storage of water for ities take place?
agricultural use?
What is the per-
Are there programs centage of farms
that promote water that maintain water
conservation? storage facilities?

5.4 Protection of Water Sources

The protection of wells and water sources Are there programs What is the per-
significantly reduces the risk of contracting that encourage the centage of farms
waterborne diseases, especially animal protection of water that implement
diseases, which are triggered when water sources for agricul- practices to protect
comes into contact with manure or other tural use? water sources?
waste.
What is the per-
centage of farms
that keep reservoirs
or water storage
tanks in optimal
safety?

38
 KEY FEATURES OF GAPs LEVEL 1: GOVERNMENT LEVEL 2: PRODUCER

6. Crop protection

6.1 Integrated pest management

Integrated pest management means less use Is there sufficient What is the percent-
of pesticides, because they are applied only coverage with re- age of producers
after the pests have caused a previously estab- spect to technical who have a moni-
lished level of harm. assistance in order to toring plan for pests
meet the demands that are important
This practice implies providing constant train- of the producers? for their crops?
ing to producers so that they know exactly
why they should apply a pesticide, when to do Have the countrys What is the percent-
so and how to do it. pest priorities been age of producers
defined? who follow the
recommendations of
Are there plans for competent technical
monitoring the personnel or advisers
priority pests? when doing the
applications?
6.2 Use of permitted pesticides
Only products permitted by national legisla- Do the producers What is the per-
tion should be used and these should be spe- have access to an centage of produc-
cific for each pest and for each crop. up-to-date list of the ers who only apply
approved products? registered products
based on the crop?
Is there some type
of regulation that re- What percentage
quires that the pesti- of producers com-
cides be purchased ply with the break
in authorized loca- periods established
tions with current for the products
registration? applied?
Are there regis-
tered pesticides
available for all the
crops that are of
social and economic
importance to the
country?

39
 KEY FEATURES OF GAPs LEVEL 1: GOVERNMENT LEVEL 2: PRODUCER
6.3 Mixture preparation and pesticides residue elimination
Mismanagement of pesticide residues (or Is there some offi- What percentage
lack of management) can result in the con- cial program that of farms have the
tamination of soil and water in an entire requires that there infrastructure for
area, a situation that not only affects the is some type of preparation and
producer and his family, but an entire region, structure in order elimination of pesti-
as occurs when a city uses a river as a source to prepare the cide residues?
of water supply. mixture and elimi-
nate the pesticide
Correct elimination of pesticide residues residues?
is synonymous with greater safety for the
population and accordingly, with less use of
the health services.
6.4 Calibration of equipment
Many problems relating to pesticide residues Does the country What percentage of
in food and in the environment are as a have official calibra- producers maintain
result of product waste due to poor calibra- tion programs? their equipment
tion of the equipment or because they have properly calibrated?
leaks.
The leaks can generate enormous clouds of
pesticides, which, once they are displaced
by the wind can, in a state of very high
concentration, reach both the workers and
persons who are far away from the place of
application.
Also, the excess discharge resulting from
poor calibration causes a greater amount
of pesticides to be released into the environ-
ment, which increases the quantity of resi-
dues in food and their discharge into rivers
and lakes through surface runoff (eg. after a
shower of rain).
Proper calibration means less product waste
and less pollution of the environment.

40
 KEY FEATURES OF GAPs LEVEL 1: GOVERNMENT LEVEL 2: PRODUCER
6.5 Personal protective equipment (PPE)
The person applying the pesticide runs the risk Is it compulsory for What percentage
of being contaminated, and if this person is every case of pesti- of farms maintain a
contaminated, his family will be affected and cide poisoning to be poisoning registry?
the health services will also be affected. reported?
What percentage of
Is there any offi- farms ensure that
cial program that protective equip-
promotes the use ment is used?
of protective equip-
ment?
Is there monitoring
of the reported cases
of poisoning?
6.6 Pesticide storage
Storing pesticides correctly amounts to Does the country What percentage
protecting the environment, to protecting have a public policy of farms have a
the worker and also the livelihood of the that supports the structure for pesti-
producer. construction of cide storage on the
pesticide storage property itself?
In the case of the environment, it is import- structures?
ant that the pesticides are protected from
rain and wind, if the products are in powder Are there regulato-
form, in order to prevent them from being ry frameworks for
dispersed and from contaminating unpro- regulating pesticide
tected sites and people. storage on farms?
In the case of workers, safe storage and ade-
quate organization of the products amounts
to greater personal safety, since the risks of
making mistakes when managing and com-
ing into contact with polluting substances
are reduced.
In the case of the producer, an adequate
storage structure makes it possible for him
to store the pesticides on the property itself,
in order to prevent loss and theft, and thus
protect his income.

41
 KEY FEATURES OF GAPs LEVEL 1: GOVERNMENT LEVEL 2: PRODUCER
6.7 Management of empty pesticide containers
The management of empty containers is an Is there some What percentage
indisputable safety factor for the producer official program of farms manage
and his/her family: the majority of cases of that promotes the empty pesticide
poisoning of people and animals on the farm management of containers?
are related to the use of pesticide containers empty pesticide
for other uses (for example, to transport water containers?
and food for humans and animals). Removing
containers from the farm considerably reduces Are there other
this risk. initiatives for the
collection of empty
containers?
How widespread
is the collection of
containers through-
out the country?
6.8 Pesticide residues
All the food destined for human or animal Is there an official What percentage of
consumption should respect the maximum monitoring pro- producers analyze
residue level for pesticides. gram for pesticide pesticide residues
residues? in relation to their
This measure, in addition to protecting the products?
health of humans and animals, prevents What percentage
economic losses for the producer, since, if it of the program is What percentage of
surpasses the established limits, he will not to directed toward producers analyze
be able to market products that are pesticide residues in
sold on the domes- relation to products
tic market? that are sold on the
domestic market?
Is there a capacity
for analysis of pesti-
cide residues in the
country?
Is there any capacity
to authorize/accred-
it/outsource/dele-
gate the laboratory
test services in order
to determine the
quantity of pesticide
residues?

42
 KEY FEATURES OF GAPs LEVEL 1: GOVERNMENT LEVEL 2: PRODUCER

7. Presence of animals on the farm

7.1 Separation of animals in the production area

Animals can be a mode of contamination for Are there official What percentage
crops. Proper management of animal stools guidelines for of farms control
is only possible by containing the animals animal separation animal access to the
in areas reserved for them, which should be (domestic and wild) production areas?
separated from the production areas, especial- in the production
ly in the case of fruits and vegetables that are areas on the farm?
consumed directly.
If traction animals are used on the property in
the production areas, the waste should be con-
trolled, and the stool collected and disposed of
appropriately.

8. Hygiene and health

8.1 Hygiene procedures

This implies preserving the safety of the Does the country What percentage of
product through practices that reduce the have national or farms adopt effec-
risk of contamination that could come from municipal provi- tive measures to
workers who handle vegetables, as well as sions that establish prevent cross-con-
utensils, materials and surfaces with which requirements for tamination of
the vegetables come into contact. food handlers, vegetables resulting
and which include from agricultural
harvest and post- inputs, from contact
harvest activities surfaces or from
on the farms? staff who are in
direct or indirect
contact with the
vegetables?
8.2 Workers health
This implies prevention of contamination of Are there laws that What percentage
the product through contact with sick people. protect the health of farms monitor
This practice reduces the cost of public health of rural workers? the workers health/
programs and reduces the amount of absenc- illnesses?
es through sickness.

43
 KEY FEATURES OF GAPs LEVEL 1: GOVERNMENT LEVEL 2: PRODUCER
8.3 Sanitary structures
The availability of sanitary structures in the Is there public pol- Which percentage of
field not only meets the needs of the worker, icy for supporting farms have sanitary
but is a gesture of consideration for the the construction of structures in the
environment. It indicates that waste is being sanitary structures field?
channeled to its correct destination and that on the farms?
biological pollution of vegetables that are
cultivated is being prevented on the farm. Are there regulato-
ry frameworks for
guiding the con-
struction of sani-
tary structures and
treating effluents
on the farm?

9. Transport of harvested products

9.1 Condition of the modes of transportation

Vegetable products should be transported Is there any type of What percentage of
so that the possibility of microbial, chemical, official regulation producers use autho-
or physical contamination is reduced to a that authorizes the rized transportation?
minimum. transportation of
food, including the
transportation of
fresh vegetables?

10. Management of residues and polluting agents

10.1 Solid waste elimination

Solid waste, as well as empty pesticide con- Are there programs What percentage
tainers should be collected in order to avoid and capacity for of farms collect and
foci of diseases caused by vectors such as solid waste collec- dispose adequately
mosquitoes (malaria, zika, dengue, etc.) that tion (non-pesticide) of the residues
can be exacerbated with climate change. in the rural environ- (non-pesticide)?
ment?
This practice helps to protect the environment
because it reduces physical and chemical
contamination of the soil chemistry and of
the water. Additionally, sedimentation of the
rivers and wildlife death resulting from the
consumption of plastic or other detrimental
substances are prevented.

44
 KEY FEATURES OF GAPs LEVEL 1: GOVERNMENT LEVEL 2: PRODUCER
10.2 Waste reduction and recycling
Contamination that residues or waste produces Are there regulations What percentage of
at the point of elimination, known as concen- and incentives to farms have a man-
trated contamination, is much more dangerous avoid, reduce, reuse agement plan for
than management of contaminants in the field. and recycle the residues and pollut-
Each farm should have a plan to get rid of the waste that is gener- ing agents?
waste and to collect the liquids that are generat- ated from agricultur-
ed (wastewater and mudslides), and this can be al activities?
done on the farm or through a public service.
Pesticides are among the principal contami-
nants, which is the reason why they should be
managed and eliminated in a technically prov-
en and approved manner.

11. Training

11.1 Ongoing training program

Ongoing training improves the quality of the Does the country What percentage of
services, the safety of the workers and the have programs (pub- farms are assisted
protection of the environment; at the same lic or private) for rural through the pro-
time, it reduces expenditure on health and the extension and trans- grams for rural out-
worker turnover. fer of technology reach and transfer of
in GAP and climate technology in BPA
Additionally, the workers are more willing to change? and climate change?
collaborate in programs relating to good prac-
tices when they understand their objectives. Which percentage
of farms provide
The training programs should be designed to continuous training
help the staff understand what is expected of based on the level
them and why. They should take into account of schooling of their
any barriers to learning and prepare meth- workers?
ods and materials that help overcome those
barriers.

45
CHECKLISTS FOR COMPLIANCE
WITH GAP ON THE FARMS

47
 Table 3. Checklists for compliance
with GAP on the farms.

Fulfillment
Aspects to review
Yes No
1. History and management of the farm
1.1 Arrangement of the physical space of the farm
a) Does the producer have the capacity to read and interpret a
map or sketch of the farm?
b) Does the producer have at this time a map or sketch
that enables him to visualize the farm: production areas,
facilities, roads, water resources, forest, etc.?
c) If the previous response is no, could the owner design or
help to design a map or sketch of the farm that enables him
to plan the use of the physical space?
1.2 Management of the production site
a) Does the farm have a risk assessment that shows that the
production site is suitable for production, and does it have
a management plan to minimize the risks identified?
2. Planting material
2.1 Health and quality of the planting material
a) Do the planting materials have health and quality
certification?
3. Management of the soil and other substrate
3.1 Soil maps
a) Does the producer have access to soil maps of the
region?
3.2 Analysis of soil and substrate
a) Have soil analyses been conducted on the farm?
b) Does the producer know how to collect soil samples or
has the technical assistance to do so?
c) Does the producer know how to interpret the results of
a soil analysis or has the technical assistance to do so?
d) Does the producer follow the recommendations that are
derived from the interpretation of the soil analysis?
e) Are the soil samples always collected in the same places?
f) Does the producer keep documentation and records of
the results of soil analyses and fertilization practices?

48
 Fulfillment
Aspects to review
Yes No
g) Does the producer analyze the trends in fertilizer
application on the soil based on the results of cumulative
soil analyses over the years?
h) Is treated dung used?
i) Is sewerage waste used?
3.3 Erosion control
a) Does the producer know how to identify soil erosion on
the farm?
b) Does the property have at least one rain gauge that
enables it to measure the quantity of rainfall?
c) Is erosion observed in the furrows of the crop areas after
short, light rainfall (ex. 5 mm/hour)?
d) After short, light showers (eg. 5 mm/hour), is there an
accumulation of clay on the roads of the property?
e) After a light shower (eg. 5 mm/hour), are the rivers that
run through the property turbid due to the presence of
dirt?
f) Does the producer have knowledge of erosion control
techniques?
g) Are erosion control techniques used on the property?
h) Were the roads on the property designed to combat
erosion?
3.4 Soil coverage practices
a) Does the producer apply soil coverage practices?
b) Is a crop rotation system applied?
4. Fertilization
4.1 Quality of the fertilizers
a) Do the fertilizers have quality assurance (does it include
heavy metals)?
4.2 Fertilization program
a) Are the fertilizers applied following the indications of a
technical `adviser`?
b) Is the fertilization equipment calibrated before the
applications?

49
 Fulfillment
Aspects to review
Yes No
4.3 Fertilizer storage
a) Is there a covered storage area, completely protected
from rain, for storage of chemical fertilizers?
4.4 Organic fertilizers and biofertilizers
a) Is animal dung or biofertilizers used on the property
in keeping with the provisions of the pertinent
regulations?
b) Does the dung used on the property undergo any type of
treatment that ensures that pathogens are eliminated?
c) Does the producer change clothes after handling
animals or dung and before coming into contact with
crops or vegetables?
d) The producer washes the hands after having handled
animals and dung and before coming into contact with
crops or vegetables?
4.5 Storage of organic fertilizer
a) Does the property have a covered repository to store
organic fertilizers to shield them from rain?
5. Water management
5.1 Determination of water needs
a) Has any system for controlling free water been installed
on the farm; e.g. a rain gauge, a system to measure the
flow of the rivers or the volume of water available in the
reservoirs, a system to determine the use of urban water,
etc.?
b) Is water use monitored on the farm?
c) Does the producer know how to calculate the needs for
water on the farm or have technical assistance to do so?
5.2.A Quality of the irrigation water
a) Is the irrigation water used on the property been analyzed
in an authorized laboratory (authorized or accredited) in
order to determine its quality?
b) Does the producer understand the need for using only
good quality water on the agricultural crops?
c) Does the producer know how to interpret the results of a
water analysis or does he have technical assistance to this
end?
d) Is the irrigation water that is used on the property within
the statutory limits permitted for microbiological quality
and heavy metals?

50
 Fulfillment
Aspects to review
Yes No
5.2.B Quality of the water for drinking and cleaning
a) Is there sufficient water for consumption by the people who
work on the farm?
b) Is the quality of the drinking water that is used on the
property analyzed periodically in an authorized laboratory
(official or accredited)?
c) Does the producer understand the obligation to use quality
water for human consumption and to pack the products on
the property?
d) The water that is used for consumption and packing of
products in the property is within the limits permitted
quality microbiological and of heavy metals?
5.3 Water storage
a) Is there sufficient water to irrigate the crops on the property
throughout the year?
b) Are there artificial water reserves for irrigation (reservoirs,
tanks, etc.) on the property to meet the needs of the dry
periods?
c1) During periods of lack of water for irrigation, is the
period lower than 5 days?
c2) During periods of lack of water for irrigation, is the
period between 5 and 30 days?
c3) During periods of lack of water for irrigation, is the
period longer than 30 days?
5.4 Protection of water sources
a) Have measures been adopted to protect the water sources
on the property against external contamination?
b) Are the deposits of dung on the property far from the water
sources in order to avoid direct and indirect contact (by
runoff ) between the water and this waste?
c) Are the edges of the water sources on the property
protected by vegetation in order to guarantee the volume
of water?
d) Are the areas surrounding the sources and watercourses on
the farm protected?
6. Crop protection
6.1 Integrated pest management
a) Does the rural producer know how to recognize the main
pests and diseases that affect his agricultural activity?

51
 Fulfillment
Aspects to review
Yes No
b) Does the producer know how to identify damage caused by
pests in his activities?
c) Does the property use economic harm as parameter for
applying a plant health treatment?
d) Does the producer develop his productive processes while
respecting the parameters necessary for guaranteeing
quarantine safety?
e) For pest control, are pesticides which are authorized and in
the recommended doses used only?
f) With respect to pest control, is the recommended applica-
tion equipment used?
g) Are there records documenting the presence of pests on the
crops, the level of harm, the pesticides, and the doses used?
h) If records are kept, are these kept for at least 2 years?
6.2 Use of permitted pesticides
a) Does the producer only use the products indicated for the
crops that he has on his property?
b) Does the producer comply with the pre-harvest
intervals that should be observed in the application of
a product?
6.3 Mixture preparation and disposal of surplus application
mix
a) Is the water that is used to prepare the mixture on the
property clean, without suspended materials (or with very
few), odorless, and colorless?
b) Does the producer know what is the pH of the water?
c) Is there a habit on the property of checking the pH of the
water that is to be used for spraying?
d) Is the mixture always prepared in the same place?
e) Does the place where the mixture is prepared suitable for
residue collection?
f) Does the place where the mixture is prepared have
sufficient water for proper cleaning following the pesticide
management activity?
g) Is the residue from the mixture discarded in rivers, streams,
or lakes?

52
 Fulfillment
Aspects to review
Yes No
h) Is the excess mixture discarded onto the soil, in a single
place?
i) Does the property have a system for management of
pesticide residues based on technical guidelines?
j) Does the producer wash the equipment in a fixed place
after the application?
k) Does the producer dispose of the cleaning water in the same
location where the residue from the mixture was discarded?
6.4 Calibration of equipment
a) Does the producer keep the technical manual on the
equipment in a safe place and does he understand the
instructions?
b) Has the producer been trained in the management and
calibration of equipment?
c1) Does the producer calibrate the equipment before each
application?
c2) Does the producer calibrate the equipment at least once a
month?
c3) Does the producer calibrate the equipment at least once
during the crop cycle (production)?
c4) Has the producer calibrated the equipment at least once
since purchasing it?
6.5 Protective equipment
a) Do the owner and the workers have the full equipment for
personal protection on the property (boots, gloves, suit, hat
made of waterproof material, glasses and protective mask)?
b) Does the producer know how to use all items of the
personal protective equipment?
c) Does the producer know how to identify which part of the
protective equipment is related to each stage of pesticide
management?
d) Is the protective equipment complete, without tears or
missing parts?
e) Does the producer always use the personal protective
equipment during pesticide management?

53
 Fulfillment
Aspects to review
Yes No
f) After application, are the clothes and the protective
equipment that were used washed and dried apart from
other clothes and other instruments?
g) When the useful life of the protective equipment is over, are
the parts discarded in a similar manner as the containers
that contained pesticides?
h) Are the workers trained in the use of this equipment?
i) Do the workers use the personal protective equipment?
6.6 Pesticide storage
a) Is there a repository on the property that is destined
exclusively for pesticide storage?
6.7 Management of empty pesticide containers
a) Are the empty containers washed three times, dried, and
perforated before being sent to a collection center for final
destruction?
b) Are there storage structures for empty containers on the
property?
c) Are the empty and clean containers collected through an
approved collection system by a responsible authority?
d) Are the empty pesticide containers used again after being
washed?
e) Are the empty pesticide containers burned on the property
after being used?
f) Are the empty pesticide containers buried after being used?
g) Are the empty pesticide containers left abandoned after
use?
h) Are the empty containers collected, still dirty, by the urban
garbage collection system or through a similar system?
i) Are the empty containers collected, after cleaning, by
the urban garbage collection system or through a similar
system?
6.8 Pesticide residue
a) Does the producer understand what are pesticide
residues?
b) Does the producer know how to identify the specified
break periods from pesticides that apply to his property?

54
 Fulfillment
Aspects to review
Yes No
c) Does the producer respect the break periods that
are indicated on the label and on the pamphlet that
accompany the pesticides?
d) Does the only producer use the products indicated for the
crops that he has on his property?
e) Does the producer respect the recommended product
dose for his crops?
f) Does the producer follow the recommended hygiene
measures after conducting work with pesticides and
before coming into contact with vegetables?
7. Presence of animals on the farm
7.1 Separation of animals in the production area
a) Is contamination by animals (collection of feces) controlled
or is there physical separation between the animals and
the production points?
8. Hygiene and health
8.1 Hygiene procedures
a) Has a vegetable handling protocol been established on the
property?
b) Have the workers been trained and they follow the
protocol?
8.2 Workers health
a) Do the workers have facilities where they can preserve and
consume their food?
b) Is the water that the workers consume potable and does it
meet the standards established by national legislation?
c) Does the farm have disease prevention control plans or
programs for the workers?
d) Have records been kept over the years on the occurrence
of diseases?
e) Does the farm have accident control programs for the
workers?
f) Are records kept on the occurrence of accidents over the
years?

55
 Fulfillment
Aspects to review
Yes No
8.3 Sanitary structures
a) Do the farm workers have sanitary structures to which
there is easy access?
b) Do the sanitary structures have chlorinated water for
washing their hands, with soap and towels?
c) Do the workers wash their hands after using the restroom?
d) Do the workers know why they should wash their hands?
e) Are the residual structures provided with a septic tank or
some other technically recommended treatment system?
9. Transport
9.1 Transport of harvested products
a) Does the producer verify the conditions for transportation
before loading his products?
b) Are the vehicles authorized to transport food?
c) During transportation, are records kept of unforeseen
events (delays, equipment failure, loss of coldness, etc.)
d) Does the transporter keep a record of receipt and delivery
of the product?
10. Management of residues and polluting agents
10.1 Solid waste elimination
a) Is the solid waste (with the exception of pesticides) that
is generated on the property collected through a system,
whether public or private?
10.2 Waste reduction and waste recycling
a) Does the property have an environmental management
plan that promotes waste reduction and recycling?
11. Training
a) Do the workers receive training in good agricultural and
environmental practices when they begin to work on the
property?
b) After the initial training, are the workers trained periodically?
c) Are the workers evaluated in order to confirm the
effectiveness of their training?
d) Are training records kept?

56
 6.2 Evaluation and monitoring of the application of
good agricultural practices

The following figure shows the basic activities related with evaluation
and monitoring of GAP:

Figure 5. Elements for the design and application of GAP

programs or plans

Diagnosis/
evaluation

Execution Prioritization

Planning

Diagnosis/evaluation

The design (or adjustment) of programs in GAP by the government,

just like the design of plans for the implementation of GAP by the pro-
ducers should begin with an analysis of the status of the application
of such practices for a given population or an individual producer, re-
spectively.

The set of indicators shown in tables 2 and 3 makes it possible to do a

qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the degree of application of
GAP by the actors in question.

57
Prioritization

Once the aspects showing a gap, or those that are critical, have been
identified, both the government and the producers should begin
to prioritize measures to deal with those deficiencies. Prioritization
should be done on the basis of the impact of such deficiencies on the
targets and goals of the country or the farm.

Planning

Planning means studying, from a technical and economic perspective,

options that make it possible to overcome the deficiencies identified,
select the best one, and implement it.

Execution

The options selected in the previous step are implemented in accor-

dance with the required administrative and logistical aspects.

Evaluation and adjustment

Once the improvements are made, the results should be evaluated, i.e. the
respective monitoring should be done. To this end, the same tool that was
used to make the diagnosis is applied, as part of a continuous improve-
ment process.

6.3 Guidelines for completing

the verification list

The survey (verification list) may be completed with the producer at

his or her office, home, or with the technician responsible for the docu-
mentation of the property. The user may collect the information using
a computer or a printed survey, once the Excel form has been drafted.

For educational purposes, a spreadsheet has been attached to this

manual and can be downloaded from www.iica.int. It also can be a
supplement to the interview form. The interviewer must receive and
write down the affirmative answers (yes) and the negative answers
(no). Once the data has been entered in the spreadsheet, the posi-
tive answers are assigned a value of 1.0, while the negative answers
will remain at 0.0.

58
The system is programmed to record each answer according to the
following dimensions of impact:

a) Environmental
b) Worker safety
c) Food safety
d) Economical

When a positive answer is obtained from one of the aspects previ-

ously mentioned, a point (1) is recorded. The answers in the spread-
sheet are illustrated in a radar chart, and each color represents one of
the aspects: green (environmental), blue (worker safety), red (safety),
and orange (economical) (figure 6).

If the producer is using a GAP certification system, official or commer-

cial, the evaluation must take into account the information collected
from the surveys of the rating entity (as long as the information is
available). This is performed to avoid conducting additional surveys,
visits, or interviews. The metadata analysis is simply carried out.

If the previous data is not available (originated from a GAP certifi-

cation system or based on interviews from previous programs), it is
possible to conduct the survey directly with the producer or with the
technician in charge of the farm; the trained technician on data anal-
ysis could visit the site and conduct the survey.

The graph is organized using two points: a point 0 (point of origin),

which reflects the worst GAP condition, and point 1, which reflects
the best condition and is located in the outer region of the graph.
This means the greater the distance between the lines and the outer
border, the greater the problem is in that aspect, and its position on
the table must be verified.

Figure 6 shows an array of indicators. The examples serve as a graph-

ic overview of the different groups of indicators and plot a course
toward fulfillment of the GAP.

59
 Figure 6. Figures with results of analyses of indicators evaluated via
the GAP questionnaire, using an integrated approach.
1. History and management of the farm
1
11. Management of r 2. Propagation material and seeds
0,9
esidues and contaminants 0,8
0,7
0,6
0,5
10. Transportation of 0,4
3. Management
harvested products Total 0,3
of soils and
0,2
other substrates
0,1
0
9. Training 4. Fertilization

8. Hygiene 5. Water management

and health

7. Presence of animals 6. Crop protection

on the farm
Environmentall Worker Safety Economic

Environmental Worker
1. History and management of the farm 1. History and management of the farm
1
11. Management of r 2. Propagation material and seeds 1
2. Propagation material and seeds
0,9 11. Management of r 0,9
esidues and contaminants 0,8 esidues and contaminants 0,8
0,7
0,7
0,6
0,6
0,5
10. Transportation of 0,4
3. Management 10. Transportation of
0,5
3. Management
harvested products Total 0,3
of soils and harvested products Total
0,4
of soils and
0,2
other substrates 0,3
other substrates
0,2
0,1
0,1
0
0
9. Training 4. Fertilization 9. Training 4. Fertilization

8. Hygiene 5. Water management

and health 8. Hygiene 5. Water management
and health
7. Presence of animals 6. Crop protection
on the farm 7. Presence of animals 6. Crop protection
on the farm
Environmentall Worker
Worker

Safety Economic
1. History and management of the farm 1. History and management of the farm
1
11. Management of r 2. Propagation material and seeds 1
2. Propagation material and seeds
0,9 11. Management of r 0,9
esidues and contaminants 0,8 esidues and contaminants 0,8
0,7
0,7
0,6 0,6
0,5
10. Transportation of 0,4
3. Management 10. Transportation of
0,5
3. Management
of soils and 0,4
harvested products Total 0,3 harvested products Total of soils and
0,3
0,2
other substrates other substrates
0,2
0,1 0,1
0 0
9. Training 4. Fertilization 9. Training 4. Fertilization

8. Hygiene 5. Water management 8. Hygiene 5. Water management

and health and health

7. Presence of animals 6. Crop protection 7. Presence of animals 6. Crop protection

on the farm on the farm
Worker
Safety Environmentall

60
Information is thus obtained to serve as input for environmental planning of the pro-
duction units, as well as for planning occupational security, food safety, and the eco-
nomic security of the owner.

The next step is the planning phase, in which both the official entities and the rural
producers and technical personnel participate. The items in the questionnaire that
did show an ideal situation are included individually, are analyzed and the factors that
prevented their execution are sought. In order to resolve each item or problem one
or more actions can be proposed, and this should describe in detail how the goal that
was outlined is going to be achieved (figure 7).

It is also important to clarify what factors impeded achievement of the proposed ob-
jectives. Each action can bring together more than one problem, which, by itself, will
require a smaller corrective action on a feasible scale, which may also take the time
scale into consideration, so that the initial problem can be solved. An example of this
process can be seen in the figure 7, where the same example of a problem resolved by
official entities and by the producer.

61
 Figure 7. Management matrices for the official entities and rural producers.

A) Example of a management matrix for the official entities

Problems found
Item Initial problem Initial action Mitigation (including execution time)
(limitations)
The producer is No trained technical team Prepare a technical team to provide
not able to read available to provide this this training in the next six months
and interpret a type of training
map or sketch
Lack of financial resources Allocate resources immediately
of the farm
to execute the project from other activities or include
resources in the budget for next
year
No priority given to a Establish public - private associa-
training plan for this type of tions that will continue until the
producer end of the second half of 2020
Devise a training plan in 2018 for the
next 5 years

Train rural Lack of financial resources Allocate resources immediately

extension tech- to execute this project from other activities or include
nical personnel resources in the budget for
to carry out this next year
service
No trained professionals Identify or prepare professionals with-
to provide this type of in the country to train the technical
training to technical team over the next 3 months
The producer personnel
is not able
to read and There is no institutional Devise a training plan in 2018 for the
1.1-a plan for training technical next 5 years
interpret a
map or sketch personnel
of the farm There is no appropriate site Establish a center/auditorium/ train-
available to promote the ing room to carry out this program
training in 2018
Establish public-private agreements
to conduct training in nongovern-
mental entities in 2018

Train teachers There is no agreement with Establish an agreement with the

in the rural the ministry of education
areas who will or with another competent
support the institution in order to carry
producers out this activity
The teachers have very
unequal proficiency levels
competent institutions in 2018 for a
period of 5 years
Create and give a course in knowl-
edge leveling for teachers, three
months before the training

There is no professional Identify or train professionals in

prepared to train the teach- the country so that they can train
ers in this topic a technical team over the next 3
months

62
 B) Example of a management matrix for the actions of the producers.

Initial Problems found Mitigation (including

Item Initial action
Problem (limitations) execution time)
Find this type of training
There is no training
or training in locations
available in that aspect
near to the farm and, if
of knowledge within
possible, between produc-
the region
tion cycles

Find out Mobilize groups of

where he producers and request
The producer The producer does not
can learn or training from the corre-
is not able to have financial resour-
receive train- sponding authorities or
read or inter- ces to pay for training
1.1-a ing in map the association to which
pret a map or they belong
and sketch
sketch of the
reading and
farm Make an immediate
interpreta-
The producer cannot request to the
tion
leave the property for corresponding authorities
reasons of logistics or to the association to
or lack of labor for which they belong for
carrying out the daily training on the property
activities or distance training, if
possible

6.4 Importance of evaluation and monitoring

of government indicators

Evaluation of the indicators defined for the government will make it

possible to identify the need for services and public investment. Mon-
itoring, in turn, will make it possible to measure the impact of poli-
cies, plans, and projects that are implemented with respect to safety,
well-being of the worker, environmental protection, and sustainable
achievement of the countrys developmental objectives.

At the same time, the official entities will have information on GAP
that is standardized and uniform, which will enable for precise analysis
of progress over time.

During the process of implementation of GAP, and even afterwards,

new goals can be added and monitored indefinitely.

63
 6.5 Recommendations for the implementation
of good agricultural practices

a) Orientations for the team at the producer level:

Phases of the implementation process

Implementation of GAP on a property is the result of an educational

process that should be carried out in stages in order to reduce the cost
of the process and the cultural impact on the people involved.

Stage 1. Dissemination: People should be consulted, objectives deter-

mined with respect to GAP, and an evaluation of educational and tech-
nical levels conducted in order to facilitate the implementation of GAP
on the property. Dissemination can be done on a large scale, technical
meetings can be held with groups in the community and opportunities
created for discussion and clearing up doubts. Each property can also be
visited and the topic dealt with in small family groups, which normally
favors a greater exchange of ideas. In the first case, the dissemination is
quicker, but there is the risk of losing effectiveness, for cultural reasons;
in the second case, the system is slower but the probability of success
is greater. In many cases, regional culture carries more weight than na-
tional culture; hence, dissemination should ideally be the responsibility
of a local technician or a person who knows the region well, and who
has already interacted with the families in the area.

Stage 2. Training: Work is carried out with groups and with proper-
ties that decided to adopt the system. The first step is to prepare sup-
porting material for even the simplest matters, such as how to collect
refuse around the house or to ensure that there is no dung where peo-
ple have to move around. The support material cannot be just a manu-
al or a guide loaded with text. It helps a lot to use posters, illustrations,
symbols, and messages that indicate simply and directly whether a
procedure is good or bad. In communities where a great number of
inhabitants have not had the opportunity to receive formal education
and do not know how to read or write, or speak different languages,
symbols are an excellent mechanism for dissemination, as they make
it possible to associate a figure to an action. In any case, printed ma-
terial by itself is not sufficient. The presence of extension workers is
indispensable to eliminate doubts, provide details, and help achieve
results over set periods of time.

64
Stage 3. Beginning of implementation: Implementation begins
when participants are already aware of the existence of GAP, how
they operate and their objectives in the short, medium and long
term. In this phase, processes can be started that depend on fi-
nancial investment, but this would be subject to the proposed ob-
jectives. The figure of the extension worker begins to take second
place to the greater relevance of the local GAP actors or auditors.
The process of self-management can begin in this phase or in the
next.

Stage 4. Self-management process: The self-management process

begins when the measures envisaged are already under way and the
role of the social actors is clearly established. The property can now be
submitted for an evaluation or audit.

Work tools:

Below (figure 8) are some of the tools that can be used in the stages
previously described.

Figure 8. Examples of work tools for each stage.

GAP guidelines and meetings to (extension officers);

Stage 1. Dissemination community meetings, posters or charts (participants).

GAP Guide, meetings to make ajustments, slide, flip chart

Stage 2. Training (extension officers); meetings, charts, flannel boards
(participants).

GAP Guide, audit sheets, meetings for adjustments, slide and

Stage 3. Beginning
flip chart, field days, demostration units (extension officers,
of implementation
auditors and participants).

Stage 4.
GAP Guide and assessment or audit sheets (participants and
Self-management
evaluators or auditors).
process

Validation of the process

Each stage of the process should be validated on a model prop-

erty that will then become an observation unit in order to pro-
vide training and fine tune the system. For the validation process,
tools will be used such as interviews conducted with the techni-

65
cal personnel and with the target audience, and a checklist of the
objectives achieved at each stage, bearing in mind that the final
objective is adaptation of the property/community/region to the
set of GAP.

As each case study is unique because of the environmental/cultural

specificity, the interview questionnaire should contain a group of
generic questions with closed answers that can be applied to any
situation, and a series of specific questions with open responses.

b) Guidelines for the team with respect to government agencies

Local governments should indicate the desired levels of commitment

and the responsible institutions should be present during the process
of implementation of GAP. It is suggested that the ministries/secre-
tariats of agriculture and livestock, industry, and trade (or the public
institution responsible for control of exports and imports of food),
health, education, and the environment be familiar with the program
and seek cooperation agreements.

These institutions will be in charge of publishing materials and of

training the key persons who will later assume the tasks of extension
in the rural area, on the properties, in the schools, and at health care
locations (personnel responsible for monitoring health).

Working tools

Meetings and written material (ex. GAP Guide) to guide the discus-
sions and the training of divulgators.

Validation of the process

The validation exercise should be conducted along with governmen-

tal agents. In order to assess the knowledge acquired, two question-
naires should be used: one at the first meeting with the representa-
tives, and another one later, just before implementing the plan in the
field. If the results reveal that the level of training is neither appropri-
ate nor uniform, another training exercise should be conducted, and
then a second evaluation, until each and every one of the participants
understands all the concepts that they are working with.

66
 7. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Codex Alimentarius Commission. 2013. Code of hygienic prac-
tice for fresh fruits and vegetables (online). Rome, Italy. Consulted
on 9 oct. 2015. Available at http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codex-
alimentarius/sh-proxy/en/?lnk=1&url=https%253A%252F%252F-
workspace.fao.org%252Fsites%252Fcodex%252FStandards%252F-
CAC%2BRCP%2B53-2003%252FCXP_053e_2013.pdf.

Codex Alimentarius Commission. 2016. Pesticide residues in food and

feed: glossary of terms (online). Rome, Italy. Consulted on 4 mar. 2016.
Available at http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/stan-
dards/pestres/glossary/en/.

Daz, A. 2009. Good agricultural practices: guide for small and medi-
um sized agribusiness operators (online). (Agribusiness series: export
handbooks). San Jose, Costa Rica, IICA. Consulted on 7 mar. 2016.
Available at http://repiica.iica.int/docs/b2257i/b2257i.pdf.

Gebler, L; Palhares, JCP (eds.). 2007. Gesto ambiental na agropecuria.

(1). Brasilia, Brazil, Embrapa.

IICA (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Costa

Rica). 2015. (Report) San Jose, Costa Rica. Taller regional: las buenas
prcticas agrcolas en el contexto del cambio climtico para una agri-
cultura resiliente. Conclusiones y recomendaciones. 9 p.

IICA (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Costa

Rica). 2016. Annex 6: Meeting of ministers of agriculture of the Americas
2015 Grow better, produce more, feed everyone: declaration of minis-
ters of agriculture Mexico 2015 (online). In Harvesting results: Annual
Report 2015. p. 34-39. Consulted on 20 may, 2016. Available at http://
www.iica.int/sites/default/files/publications/files/2016/B3956i.pdf.

IICA (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Cos-

ta Rica). 2016. Integrated risk management in agriculture. In Regular
meeting of the Executive Committee (36, 2016, San Jose, Costa Rica).
Information document no. 03.

67
IPCC (Intergovermental Panel on Climate Change, Switzerland). 2014.
Annex II. Glossary. Mach, KJ; Planton, S; von Stechow, C (eds.). In Core
writing team members; Pachauri, RK; Meyer, LA (eds.). Climate change
2014: synthesis report. Contribution of working groups I, II and III to
the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Cli-
mate Change. Geneva, Switzerland. p. 117-130. Consulted on 9 oct.
2015. Available at https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar5/syr/
SYR_AR5_FINAL_full_wcover.pdf.

MAPA (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply, Brazil). 2012. Pla-

no setorial de mitigao e de adaptao s mudanas climticas para
a consolidao de uma economia de baixa emisso de carbono na ag-
ricultura. Brasilia, Brazil.

Palhares, JCP; Gebler, L (eds.). 2014. Gesto ambiental na agropecuria.

Brasilia, Brazil, Embrapa.
v. 2, 490 p.

68
 PHOTOGRAPHS

Regional workshop Good agricultural practices within the context of climate change for resilient
agriculture. 2015. San Jos, Costa Rica.

Working team during the validation of the field guide, together with packagers, producers,
and government authorities. 2016

69
 ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Alejandra Daz. International Specialist in Agricultural Health and
Food Safety and Coordinator of the component of Management of
health and phytosanitary risks for resilient agriculture of IICAs Flagship
Project Resilience and Comprehensive Management of Environmental
Risks for Agricultural Production. Engineer in Food Industries and
Master of Science Degree in Food Technology from the Universidad
Nacional Agraria La Molina, Peru.

Luciano Gebler. Specialist in Impact Assessment and Environmental

Management in Agriculture. Senior Researcher at the Brazilian
Agricultural Research Company (Embrapa).Agronomist trained at
the State University of Santa Catarina, Brazil; M.Sc. in Environmental
Engineering from Santa Catarina Federal University; PhD in Water
Resources and Environmental Sanitation from the Hydrologic
Research Institute of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
(IPH-UFRGS), Brazil.

Lucia Maia. Specialist in Agricultural Health and Food Safety of the

IICA Delegation in Brazil. Veterinarian of the University Federal Rural
do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Specialist in Public Health of the FIOCRUZ,
Brazil

Lourdes Medina. Specialist in Agricultural Health and Food Safety at

the IICA Delegation in Honduras. Veterinarian trained at the Federal
University of Santa Mara Ro Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Sacha Trelles. Specialist in Agricultural Health and Food Safety at the

IICA Delegation in Costa Rica. Veterinarian of the National University
of Colombia, M. Sc. in Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine from the
National University of Costa Rica.

70
 Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture
Headquarters
San Jose, Vazquez de Coronado, San Isidro 11101 Costa Rica
Phone: (+506) 2216 0222 / Fax: (+506) 2216 0233

For more information on the book, you may contact alejandra.diaz@iica.int